Insanity defined

I don't think I have a problem with road rage.   I really don't.  

Oh, I've seen it in action.  My father-in-law seemed to capture the market on road rage.  He used to wish for a bazooka to use on those that would cut him off in traffic.

I get impatient from time to time and if you're really stupid when you drive I might utter a disparaging remark or three but I never want to take somebody out.   I've occasionally tooted my horn at somebody but even that is pretty rare.

But just the other day, a twenty-something ran a red light, pulled out in front of me, and never looked.  While smoking and talking on the phone. 

If it hadn't been for my stellar reflexes, good brakes, and tires with reasonable tread on them, I would certainly have t-boned her.

So when I pull up next to her at the next red light, I tried to get her attention.  Just a gentle wave, really.  Not to say anything ugly but to remind her to be safe on the road.  But she was too preoccupied to notice my waving.

It wasn't long ago when we heard once again about a legislative mandate that would prohibit the use of cell phones while driving.   Since I use the cell phone to work while I travel, I'm not really in favor of that.   I use a hands-free device, which to me renders my phone conversations no more "distracted" than talking to another passenger in the vehicle. 

But research indicates that I might be wrong and this driver may change my mind.   If we all have to do without our cell phones while driving just to keep her off the streets, then so be it.

There is little doubt that distracted driving is dangerous.   A 2010 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 995 people were killed in 2009 because of cell phone use. 

A University of Utah study examined cell phone use by using a driving simulator.  They found that motorists using either hand held or hands-free cell phones were 9% slower to hit the brakes and concluded that they were more likely to crash.   They also found that there was no difference between those that used hand held phones and those that used hands-free devices. 

Other studies have compared distracted driving because of cell phones to driving drunk.  The evidence is not something those of us that drive while talking on the phone want to hear about. 

So on this fateful day with this particular driver, I conducted my own research.

Let's see...talking on the phone (hand held device), smoking, driving, not paying attention to traffic.  The Joe Black Institute for Safer Driving has concluded that this driver was crazy.   That the chances that she will be involved in a traffic accident within the next 24 hours was extremely high.

Driving is, by itself dangerous enough.   Throw in talking on the cell phone and the risk is increased.  Smoking, eating, reading, putting on makeup, yelling at the kids in the back seat...throw in any of those and it becomes ludicrous.   I'm gonna call it "multiple-distraction" driving and it is crazy and irresponsible.  

 The debate may rage for a long time about just what the impact of driving while talking on the cell phone may be.   And judging from an informal survey I conducted at a later date (at least half of drivers I encountered on my way home from work were on the cell phone), pretty much everybody does it.

 So you can conduct your own research and reach your own conclusions.   But the next time I see somebody doing anything more than driving and talking on the phone, I'm pulling over.